About We Are Norwich

Below are the points of agreement and who has signed up so far.  

• We strongly oppose plans by the English Defence League to demonstrate in Norwich on the 20th October.
• We believe that Islamophobia or bigotry against Muslims is as unacceptable as any form of racism and are strongly against any scapegoating given the backdrop of economic depression, unemployment and public spending cuts.
• We believe that the EDL are a racist and fascist group with many links to the BNP (including their leader Tommy Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley Lennon of the BNP who has a string of convictions for violence).
• We fear that if the EDL come to Norwich there will be fear, violence and disruption to local business.  We note that the EDL have recently disrupted Trade Union events, threatened Black and Asian people and attacked LGBT people at a Pride event in Bristol.
• We find it deeply hypocritical that the EDL are coming to Norwich because of the banning of a stall run by the Norwich Reformed Church -whose literature is Islamophobic and are the only group ever to protest at the city's Pride event.
• We will do all we can to prevent the EDL from coming to Norwich by leafletting and stalls/ exposing them through the media/ online/ holding multicultural events in the city/ a LoveMusicHateHomophobia gig at Open and public meetings.  If the EDL still decide to come we will organise a peaceful counter demonstration in the centre of Norwich, working with the police and the local authorities.

The following have signed up to support WE ARE NORWICH:

The Bishop of Norwich

Clive Lewis (Norwich Labour Party)
Norwich Green Party City Council Group

Chapelfield Mosque
Ian Gibson
Jo Rust (Kings Lynn Trades Council)
Great Yarmouth Trades Council
Norwich Trades Council
Unison Norfolk County Branch

Josh Barker (UEA Union of students)
USDAW (various branches)

Unite Norwich Branch
Kevin Reynolds (UNITE)
Helen McGuinness (Secretary Norwich NUT)
Richard Edwards (PCS Eastern Region)
Deanna Allison (Chair of Norwich Pride)
Frank Stone (Chair of Norwich Stop the War)
Julie Bremner (Unite against Fascism)
Matthew Fulton (Compass Youth)